Begin Again
by sparksofarevolution
Summary: Summary: Katniss believes in love again with some help from Peeta. Short story based on 'Begin Again' by Taylor Swift. Written for everlarksongfics 'country song' prompt. Modern AU. Fluff.


Written for everlarksongfics 'country song' prompt.

**Begin Again**

Smoothing her hair down, Katniss takes one last look in the bathroom mirror.

This is it.

Her first date in three years.

"You'll do fine, Katniss. Go get 'em!" Her flatmate, Johanna whistles, appreciating her best friend's outfit. "Holy shit, how long's it been since you've worn heels? You look fucking hot."

"Not since Gale. He didn't like heels." Katniss scowls, tugging her handbag over her shoulder.

"Fuck Gale." Johanna yells from her seat on the couch, dressed in sweatpants and her dark hair pinned away from her face as she watches the sports channel. Katniss rolls her eyes and opens the door, shouting a quick 'goodbye' over her shoulder as she locks it behind her.

Once she's in her car, She turns her music up loud, trying to calm her nerves, and trying to forget about him, but every song, every line, every word takes her back to Gale Hawthorne. When her favourite 'Cinna' song comes on, she turns it up even louder, because her ex-boyfriend never got the song, but Katniss understands every syllable.

She parks her car down the road from the small cafè she's meeting her date in and slowly makes her way up the busy street, taking a deep breath with each step. Quickly glancing through the glass door, she relaxes for a moment- she's half an hour early, she'll have plenty of time to prepare. Pushing the door open, she's about to find a table when a blonde haired man pops up from his seat, waving at her from the other end of the room. She approaches him shyly, surprised that he's already here.

"Katniss?" She nods, her cheeks already burning scarlet, because this has got to be the most gorgeous man she has ever seen in her life. "Hi! I'm Peeta."

"Hi, Peeta, it's nice to meet you." She goes to pull her chair out, but Peeta's already rushed around to her side of table to do it for her. Smiling, she sits and her heart flutters when he tucks her chair in- nobody has done that since her father. "Wow, thank you."

He grins, and she doesn't think she's ever seen anything so bright.

He starts the conversation, and she loses track of time as she giggles at the stories he tells about his job as a childcare worker.

"So, Finnick tells me you're a firefighter. What's that like?" Peeta asks, resting his chin in his palms, a lazy smile tugging at his lips.

"Well, mainly me just hoping that I don't get burned to death." Katniss jokes, and when he throws his head back, loud laughs echoing throughout the cafe, she can't believe that he thinks anything she says is funny.

"Understandable, Miss Everdeen. How did you meet Finn, anyway?"

"Oh, I went to college with him, and I was Annie's roommate. You?" She stirs her tea without looking, her eyes glued to Peeta's face.

"Met him in Preschool, actually." He shakes his head and chuckles. "Friends ever since."

"Wow, I wonder if he was crazier in preschool or college?" She smirks.

"Pfft," Peeta snorts and rolls his eyes. "That bastard's crazy for life. Enough about him. So, what about music?"

"Hmm, tough one. I'm pretty flexible about genre. I'd have to say my favourite artist is Cinna though." She answers, mouth twisting into an adorable pout.

"No shit, he's my favourite too! What albums do you have?" He gushes, and she can't help but giggle at him.

"Quick, your fanboy is showing." She winks. "All of them."

"Even the unreleased 2003 christmas album?" Peeta questions, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"Of course. I don't fool around" Katniss exclaims.

"Wow, I've never met anyone with as many Cinna records as me."

They both laugh, and she quickly looks down at her watch, swearing and finishing off her tea. "Oh god, I can't believe it's so late. I'm so sorry, Peeta, I have to pick my sister up from her gymnastic lessons."

"Don't worry about it. Where are you parked? I'll walk you." He stands up and places a handful of bills on the table.

"I can get it." Katniss mumbles, jumping up from her seat while digging through her purse.

"Hey, my treat." He rests his hand on the small of her back, leading her outside onto the street. "His christmas album is the best though."

"Hmm?" She looks up at him, too caught up in the feeling of his hand on her.

"Cinna," Peeta clarifies. "I love his christmas album. I just love christmas in general."

"Oh! Yeah, I'm not too big on Christmas, G-" She's about to say Gale's name when she notices his shocked face.

"What! Oh god, my brothers and I love christmas! Every year we watch Elf like, a million times."

"My sister loves it." Katniss feels a sinking feeling in her stomach when she realises they've already reached her car. "We watch 'Mickey Mouse: Snowed in at the House of Mouse' every year. Not really my thing, though."

"I watch that with the kids at the daycare." A soft smile spreads across his face, and he turns to her. "I don't think this can go any further if you don't warm up to christmas though" he jokes.

"So, you, um, want this to go further?" She coughs, turning her head to the side to hide her flushed cheeks.

"I'd love it." He whispers, lifting her chin with his forefinger.

"Me too." She whispers back, her eyes fluttering shut as Peeta's lips descend upon hers.

"Good." And with that, Peeta slips a napkin with his number written on it into her hand and walks away.

Slipping inside her car, Katniss let's the grin she's been holding in slip onto her face. For the first time in a long time, she doesn't believe that love's hopeless, and she finally let's any thoughts about the man that broke her heart all those years before go.

For the first time in a long time, what's past is past.


End file.
